Moments In Time
by i.dream.of.words
Summary: 100 drabbles. 100 moments in time. Mostly Usagi-centered. Anime and manga mix. Usagi/Mamoru, with possible Senshi/Shittenou pairings later.
1. Beginnings 1

Beginnings: 1

A/N: Alright, here's my first attempt at Sailor Moon fanfic! :) This is going to be a series of 100 drabbles, with probably about 1 posted per week. I got the list of prompts a loooooong time ago off of a Google search. The first 3 drabbles keep in order of the prompts given, but after that I jump around. Lengths also vary. Most (if not all) are Usagi-centered.

This is Part 1 of a series of 3. Hope you like it, and please remember to review! :)

She can still remember the first time she saw him.

It was during one of the many balls held on the Moon Kingdom at the height of its prosperity. Monarchs from all across the galaxy had been invited in an effort to promote peace between the planets. And, although it went unannounced, Serenity knew that her mother wished for her to find a suitor this night.

So as what seemed to be the millionth masked man asked her to dance, Serenity declined politely, claiming to need fresh air.

Once outside and out of the vantage point of her mother, she positively ran down the steps, past the courtyard, and over the winding paths forged from soft polished moon rock. She continued on her complicated journey with the intention of visiting the balcony overhanging the gardens for some time. The gardens, while overflowing with beautiful bright blooms, also offered the best, clearest view of Earth, the planet she so longed to visit.

Serenity ran with her white skirts held almost halfway up her thighs, her hair whipping behind her, twin silver tails shining. She let out a breathless peal of laughter, the thrill of being free, even for a moment, overtaking her. She closed her blue eyes, submitting her face further to the wind's gentle caress.

Soon, she smelled the sweet scents of many different flowers. She slowed when she heard the soft clicking sounds that her small heels made on the soft white marble of the balcony overlooking the garden. Serenity stopped running completely and allowed her dress to fall back to its previous position around her feet. She then opened her eyes wide. Blinked once. Blinked twice. And then gasped, for the man she saw before her clearly was no illusion.

He turned his head at the small intake of air, and two pairs of blue eyes met. She blushed, her pale skin turning a faint tinge of pink, for he was more handsome than any other man she had yet seen.

"Your gardens are lovely," he said in a soft tone.

"Thank you," she managed to reply, her own voice matching his quiet tone.

"Forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Prince Endymion of Earth." To this statement, he added a formal bow, bending at the waist.

"And I am Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. I welcome you to this planet," she returned customarily, adding in a small curtsy. "Your planet is very beautiful." She smiled shyly, walking a step closer to him.

"As is yours," he parried back with a small smile, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Tell me," Serenity began, taking another tentative step towards the Prince, "did you not enjoy our ball?"

"As much as you did, I'm sure," was the reply, stated with a smile and a wink.

"Are you implying that I did not enjoy a party held by my own planet?"

"If you enjoyed it so much, there's no reason to be out here in the gardens, is there?"

Finally, a smile of her own burst forth as she made the final step to the edge of the balcony. "No, I suppose not."

Serenity leaned onto the railing, noting how wonderful the cool marble felt on her heated skin. She glanced at Earth, and then back at its crown prince, who seemed rather absorbed in thoughts of his own.

His eyes suddenly flicked to hers, and she felt a heated blush crawl over her skin. Unable to move, she stood absolutely motionless as he leaned in closer…closer…almost close enough to—

"Serenity! Where have you been?" cried the black cat at her feet. Immediately, the two broke apart, crimson embarrassment tainting their complexions. "Your mother was beginning to fret."

"I'm sorry, Luna," she replied, bowing her head. "I only came out for some fresh air. I will return shortly."

She felt, more than saw, the small feline glare heavily at Endymion. "You too, Prince," the cat added. "Your father has been wondering of your whereabouts all evening."

With that said, the cat turned tail and began to run back to the palace, making no sound as it scampered over the marble balcony and up the path.

Serenity sighed, turning away from the breathtaking view of the Prince and his planet. "I must return," she said heavily, and began to walk away slowly, lifting her skirts up slightly so that the soft grass wouldn't ruin the material.

"I'm returning as well," said Endymion, matching her small stride with ease. She glanced at him out of the corner of a single blue eye, quirking an eyebrow at the prince.

"Did you really think I would allow the Princess of the Moon to wander back to the palace unsupervised?" he queried with a shadow of a wink.

"I should hope not," Serenity replied with a smile in her voice. "That would be _most_ improper of you."

_When the memories of Serenity came back to Usagi in her second life, she knew that it was not the moment Endymion asked her to dance, nor the moment that their lips first touched chastely beneath the starry sky that she was his. From the moment she had opened her eyes in the garden that long-ago night, she knew that his blue eyes and blue planet held her captive in a fated embrace that would never cease its hold on her. Just as the moon was pulled in its orbit by the Earth's gravity, she was pulled by him into an unceasing orbit of destiny._


	2. Middles 2

Middles: 2

A/N: I'm sorry this took longer than planned, my Internet has been completely down and this is the first time I've been able to get to a computer. :( Because of this, however, I'll be putting up another chapter later tonight to make up for the wait. :)

Anyway, here's part 2! This one follows the previous drabble, so please read that one first :) And as always, please remember to review! :)

Sneaking away to Earth was more difficult than Serenity had originally imagined.

Between the constant watchful eye of her mother and her Senshi's equally aware (and disapproving) stances on the issue, she found herself hard-pressed to sneak away for long enough to steal away to Earth. At one point, she even considered not going back—

—but then she saw his blue eyes and smelled the rich soil and heard his voice swearing his love to her in her mind, and before she had a second thought she was already halfway out of the palace.

And although at first she loved him only for the fact that he did not beg for her affection like other suitors, she soon realized that she loved him entirely as she had never loved before. The miracle in this was that he loved her back with an equal passion.

Stolen moments in courtyards grew in frequency until Serenity was eventually going to Earth almost every day. Stolen kisses beneath Earth's shady trees grew in passion until Serenity felt that she never wanted to leave her Prince behind.

In this time, she began to view the Earth as a second home, and Endymion as her only love. The bond between them was only strengthened by the forbiddances of their romance, and could not be broken, not even by the duties that held them steadfast to their respective planets.

These happy moments were when Serenity, for the first time in her life, truly felt the meaning of her name. The serenity that surrounded her was beautiful, and she let it linger, never thinking once that this lazy contentment could lead to her observation skills becoming clouded.

Too busy was she, talking to Endymion, to notice the hateful glares of his Shittennou. Too calm was she, gazing at the Earth from her home planet, to hearken to her mother's worries of war. Too content was she, spending yet more time with her Prince, to notice her Senshi's relationships with his Shittennou, and how these relations began to show strain.

So when Endymion finally proposed to her, a ring inlaid with diamonds tied to the stem of the reddest rose, too ecstatic was she to notice the beautiful woman hiding behind a nearby pillar, softly shaking with suppressed rage.

And when Endymion came to the Moon Kingdom, shouting that war was upon them all, too naïve was she to understand the events that were yet to come.


	3. Ends 3

Ends: 3

A/N: Yeah, I know that these are pretty short compared to my first drabble. :/ I'm trying to cut down on my wording so that these are a little less like one-shots and more like drabbles (if that makes sense).

This is Part 3, the final installment, in what I'm calling the Silver Millennium series. Please read the other two parts first so that it makes a little more sense :) (Oh, and I know it rambles. I don't have a beta so I just edit it myself, with sometimes disastrous results ^^; ) (And I just discovered line breaks, so bear with me here. :) )

Anyway. Enjoy, and, as I always ask, please remember to review! :)

* * *

_No one ever told Serenity that happily-ever-afters didn't apply to every princess._

_They didn't apply to the Princesses of Mercury, Mars, Venus, or Jupiter, as each one of them was slain by their respective lover._

_They didn't apply to the Outer Princesses, who could do naught but watch as their beloved Moon Kingdom was destroyed._

_They didn't apply to Serenity herself._

Beryl had thought, in a moment of rash calculation, that if only Serenity was disposed of, then surely Endymion would surrender to her and become her King, and together they would rule both Earth and Moon with absolute power. With this primary objective, she heaved a sword at Serenity, hoping to destroy the foolish, beautiful girl once and for all.

But she miscalculated. Beryl did not think of Endymion's innate need to protect his love, and could only watch in horror as her sword impaled the one man that had started her turn to Metallia; the one man she truly loved before corruption turned her love to obsession.

"ENDYMION!"

Both women screamed at the same time, twin shrieks of agony piercing the night. Their eyes locked for a single moment, and in Serenity's blue eyes Beryl saw absolute sorrow and knew that Endymion had been loved by the moon princess.

It occurred to Beryl in a sudden jolt of realization that the entire moon had been silenced. Everyone, from each side, was dead save herself and the moon royalty. But two became three as Serenity wrenched Beryl's sword from Endymion's chest and thrust it into herself, a single whimper echoing into the night before the princess breathed her last.

She stared at the moon princess, whose beauty was radiant and soft even in her death. She stared too at the Earth prince, who was more handsome than any man she had ever seen, but was now paler than he had been, and so _still..._

She had done this. She had given her hand, her _soul_ to Metallia and allowed her covetous nature to corrupt her very essence. The darkness wasn't just all around her, it was _inside_ of her, growing, festering...

Beryl then saw a white light—a pinprick at first; it slowly began to grow in size. It was at first refreshing to feel something other than cold darkness, for this light was warm and comforting. But soon, it became _too_ bright; the light hurt, it was blinding her, it was dissolving her—

And then only Queen Selenity was left, a shell of a Queen looking over the ruins of her once-splendid kingdom.

_Of all the memories Usagi retained of her past life, the ruination of the Moon Kingdom held the most grief and sorrow. She had been weak then, unwilling to live in a world without her soulmate, unable to function without knowing that she was loved by another. But the star-crossed lovers were forever to be tossed and turned apart from each other in the ocean of fate, never meeting in the second life promised by Queen Selenity's sacrifice, until…. _


	4. Red 11

Red: 11

A/N: I read somewhere that a "true drabble" is only 100 words, so I attempted giving it a try (and let me tell you, it wasn't easy). So I know this is exceptionally short and not my best work. However, fear not! The next drabble will be back to regular length and will be posted tomorrow, as I'll be unable to access a computer for a while after that.

Enjoy (or not), but please remember to review! :)

* * *

The red Xs and cross-outs looked so _mean_. "You can't pass!" they jeered silently. Growling, Usagi balled up the failed exam, the taunting of the red marks dying off quickly. Satisfied, she threw the crumpled test over her shoulder.

But fate _would_ have it that of all the tests in all the world, _hers_ had to hit _him._

Had she not been having such a bad day, she may have seen him as a crush-worthy figure, but his perfect face was ruined the second he opened his mouth with a biting retort.

She'd show _him_ who was a dumpling head.


	5. Hope 96

Hope: 96

A/N: Yeah, this is completely off track and a little random. I just felt like writing one about Sailor Cosmos, my personal favorite character (besides Usagi), even though she's definitely not even CLOSE to the timeline I had before. Oh well. I warned you guys that these aren't in any particular order. ^^;

As always, read and review, please! And the next drabble will come much sooner now that my computer is working again. :)

* * *

Her eyes weren't the same anymore.

They were once a sapphire blue, blue as her lover's guardian planet. Innocent, like a newborn baby's fresh eyes, so eager to see everything and anything. Happy, because she finally had a family and her friends and everything she had ever wanted.

But this could not stay, and so her eyes have morphed.

The blue is tainted by the blood she has shed, by the blood she has seen; it mixes with sapphire to create a beautiful, sad, lonely lilac.

Her hair, too, is no longer a radiant sunny gold, or even a shining silver as it was in the Silver Millennium, but white like the ghosts of her loved ones.

_They may not be dead,_ she thinks dully, but does not hope. She has given up that luxury long ago.

She doesn't know if her friends, her family, survive, but she is sure that they do not. She hopes that they are to be reborn again in the Galaxy Cauldron, but her increasingly diminutive hope dwindles further. (After all, how many times can a person possibly be reborn?)

Wandering around in outer space, searching for the evil that is invading her galaxy at an increasingly rapid rate, she feels nothing but loneliness, for there is no home, no Crystal Tokyo, _nothing_ to return to.

Earth is no longer blue, she recalls suddenly, without reason. Chaos took over and made the land barren, killing off all life, and now, the planet she once loved from afar is a haunting, chilling black. It, like the moon, is just another rock containing no life.

The tears well up in her lilac eyes, and she is startled. It's been so long since she has felt her sadness, her loss.

(Sometimes she would do _anything_ to see them again, even repeat the life-ending, unforgivable sin of Princess Serenity.)

But she cannot die now. It is her destiny and hers alone to defeat Chaos and restore the universe to its once splendid state. And when (_if_) she lives, her loved ones will be reborn and waiting for her on Earth, which will be blue and beautiful once more.

And she'll see _him_ again.

And with that in mind, she races away from the darkness that is creeping ever forward, races backwards into the past as a young child with beautiful sapphire eyes. Irrationally, she thinks that if she can stop Eternal Sailor Moon from making the same choices, this horrible future will not come to pass.

But again, she is wrong, for she has forgotten her strength, her purpose for being.


	6. Lightning 68

Lightning: 68

A/N: OK, so no reviews on the last drabble. :( But hopefully you guys will enjoy this one more! :) It's the first in another little three-part series, set shortly after "Red". Updates, by the way, are going to hopefully continue to be once a week, probably Wednesdays most of the time.

With all that out of the way, I hope you like it, and please remember to review! :)

* * *

Usagi ran from school, knapsack over her head and Luna at her feet, towards her house. She had noted the lightning flashing in the clouds above, and was quite determined to be home safe underneath her fluffy comforter by the time the storm hit. However, her determination immediately disintegrated as she rounded the park.

Someone had screamed.

Plain-old Usagi would probably have kept running due to her massive fear of storms. However, brand-new Usagi, complete with Sailor Moon capabilities, was called into action (albeit after Luna's meaningful stare).

"Henshin! Now!" cried Luna. Usagi sighed, knowing that arguing with the feline would do no good at all, and clutched her brooch tightly.

Ducking behind a nearby tree, Usagi yelled, "MOON PRISM POWER, MAKE UP!" Immediately, she was surrounded by pink ribbons and flashing lights. She felt power course through her with each second, finally reaching its peak as she struck a final pose.

Usagi was snapped out of her post-henshin power surge by another bloodcurdling scream.

"This way!" shouted Luna as she began to scamper off somewhere to Usagi's right. Usagi quickly followed, trying not to trip while she sprinted behind Luna.

Finally, the duo reached the source of the screaming: a child's playground, free of children, no doubt due to the impending storm.

Another scream and Usagi located the source. A girl, probably in her early twenties, was tangled up in the swing set much like a fly caught in a web. And in front of her was a rather large, menacing youma, draining her of energy.

Usagi gulped out of fear, but then managed to begin her usual speech.

"Playgrounds are meant for enjoyment, not fear! How dare you use a tool of merriment for punishment! In the name of the moon, I will punish you!"

Sailor Moon's speech was accentuated by a particularly bright flash of lightning, which she couldn't help but flinch at.

"Ha! How can you possibly defeat me if you're afraid of something as small as lightning?" the youma laughed shrilly. It sounded like the laughter of possessed children, and sent shivers of fright up and down Usagi's spine.

Before Usagi even had a chance to reply (not that she had a good retort ready), the streetlights around the playground kicked on, adding more light to the scene.

_Thank goodness for those lights, because the sky is so dark right now, I'd be blind without them,_ thought Usagi.

And at that second, a bolt of lightning struck a very important power main, and half of Tokyo was plunged into darkness.


	7. Thunder 69

A/N: I hate to do this. But I've put up 2 chapters with no reviews, no feedback of any kind. And, quite frankly, now that school has begun, I have less time to devote to this story. And if no one feels I need to continue, then I might as well stop wasting my time writing it. I don't mean to sound harsh or like I'm just begging/whining for reviews. I'll admit, I've read stories and not left feedback. But I do think that after 2 chapters of new material, someone would have said something, even if it was just "Good".

So, please review. I would hate to abandon this series of drabbles because no one was reading.

* * *

Thunder: 69

"Oh no," Usagi whispered, glancing around in the near darkness. Her unadjusted eyes couldn't see more than the vague outline of the swing set, a merry-go-round, and something that was possibly a sandbox. The youma was invisible to her.

"Let's play a game," the creature cooed in a singsong tone. "I like games. Would you like to play hide-and-go-seek with me?"

Usagi didn't answer; too busy trying to figure out the source of the voice. But it was impossible—the trees surrounding them made the voice sound as if it was coming from every direction at once.

"I don't have much patience," the youma crooned. "If you don't like that game, let's play a different one. How about…hide-or-you'll-DIE!" it screamed, sending a jet of fire in the shape of a unicorn straight for Usagi.

Usagi saw the bright orange flames blazing a fiery trail through the darkness and quickly jumped aside; the fire merely singed her skirt.

"I don't have time to play games!" Usagi stated sharply. The sky was growing darker, and the lightning was flashing brighter than ever now, illuminating the surrounding area for a fraction of a second at a time.

_FLASH._

The youma was cutting the girl loose from the swing set. Usagi blinked, and then raised her Crescent Moon Stick.

_FLASH._

The youma continued to saw the girl, who appeared to be unconscious, free of the ropes. Usagi pointed and aimed, preparing to shout her attack phrase.

_FLASH._

The girl was tangled as ever, but the youma was gone. "MOON HEAL—" Usagi began, stopping once she noticed the absence of her enemy. If the youma wasn't untangling the witness, where was it?

"Yoo-hoo, Sailor Moon…" a childlike voice called, echoing from every direction.

_FLASH._

Usagi turned around, but there was no youma to be seen anywhere.

"I'll make you a deal, Sailor Moon…" it crooned in a soft voice. "I promise not to hurt you, and you can go home away from this awful storm…"

_FLASH._

Usagi continued to turn slowly in a circle, keeping her wand pointed outwards; she wasn't stupid enough to stand completely still. But again, no glimpse of the youma was to be found. And now, the lightning was flashing less brightly, limiting her already poor visibility.

"Come on, just go home…. Or better yet, sleep…. It's been a long day; I bet you're ever so tired…. Sleep, Sailor Moon, sleep…" it lulled. Usagi felt herself growing tired, it _had_ been a long day at school, and she really just wanted to go to sleep and forget all about the storm….

"Yes, that's it…. Sleep…." it continued to croon, chanting "sleep" over and over in a soothing rhythm, humming its sick lullaby.

_No, you can't sleep! _Usagi's mind screamed. _What about that innocent girl? You can't leave her to die!_

"But I'm so tired…" she mumbled, eyes beginning to close. Usagi's wand fell out of her grasp onto the ground, and she sank to her knees, the enchanted sleep to overtaking her.

_FLASH._

Her wand was gone. The youma was floating in the sky, cradling it. But she couldn't find the strength to move, couldn't fight the sleep any more….

And then the thunder hit with a mighty _BOOM_, snapping Usagi awake from her trance. She quickly shook her head back and forth, allowing her hair to slap her gently in the face.

Another great clap of thunder made Usagi flinch for the second time since her henshin. _Great, _she thought bitterly. _There's lightning and thunder; the youma has my wand and I don't know how to get it back; Luna is nowhere to be seen…nothing else could _possibly_ go wrong._

It was then that a single drop of rain fell onto Usagi's head.


	8. Storm 70

Storm: 70

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, everyone! :) Here's the last "chapter" of this 3-part series. Hope you enjoy, and please remember to review! :)

* * *

"No way, this isn't fair! I hate storms!" Usagi whimpered, looking up towards the ominous sky. The youma then floated right above her, still holding onto the Crescent Moon Stick.

"Hey, give that back!" Usagi shouted as she stood up.

"Nope! Finders keepers, losers weepers!" the youma jeered, sticking its tongue out.

_Okay, think, Usagi, THINK!_ _How can I get back my wand?_ Usagi mused silently. _Let's see…I can't fly, I can't fight, I—oh, I got it!_ Suddenly with this revelation, Usagi's face split into a wide grin.

"What are you smiling at?" growled the youma. "Maybe you need a TIME OUT!" it bellowed as it dive-bombed Usagi.

"MOON TIARA ACTION!" Usagi screamed as the youma decreased the distance between them. At the moment the attack hit it, the youma was only a few feet away.

"AGH!" it screamed, dropping the wand in favor of cradling its head. "YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THIS, YOU LITTLE—"

"MOON HEALING ACTIVATION!" Usagi yelled, cutting off the monster. It then crumbled to dust in front of her.

_The girl!_ Usagi thought wildly, just now noticing that she was soaked to the skin. She looked over in the direction of the swing set in time to see the girl waking up and slowly untangling herself from the youma's trap.

Usagi then thought it best to disappear, so she backed up silently into the trees. "Glad that's over," she muttered, turning around—

—only to come face-to-face with Tuxedo Kamen.

"Guess you didn't need me today," he said with a charming grin. "Well done, Sailor Moon."

"Thanks," she replied in a near-whisper. She cleared her throat and went on, her voice slightly stronger. "For always saving me, I mean. I'd be youma food without you."

He smiled again, blue eyes twinkling behind his mask. "It's my pleasure. Say, I've been meaning to ask you…are you by any chance a prin—"

"Sailor Moon! Where have you been?" cried Luna. "I was getting worried."

"I'm fine, Luna," Usagi said a little tersely as she scooped up the cat. "Now, what were you saying?" she asked, standing back up.

Only this time, she was talking to empty air.

"Luna, you show up at the worst times," she growled.

"You shouldn't trust him, Usagi," Luna cautioned. "We don't know anything about him."

"I know," Usagi sighed as she began to walk out of the park, her henshin disappearing. "But somehow, I feel like I know him from somewhere."

"You are far too fanciful for your own good," Luna parried back in clipped tones. "Now, what do you say that we get home?"

Usagi glanced up at the newly clear sky, staring at the twinkling stars and the bright moon. "Sounds great," she replied dreamily, not taking her eyes off the moon. _I'll find out what he was going to ask me one day, I just know it,_ she thought, a small smile playing across her face.


	9. Teammates 26

Sorry this is late, these might not be exactly on time due to my upsurge of real life responsibilities. :/

This definitely is my least favorite of all of my drabbles so far, unfortunately. But the next one is actually a personal fave of mine, so hopefully that'll make up for it.

Please remember to review! :)

* * *

Teammates: 26

Sometimes she wonders where she fits in, what her purpose is.

She's not intelligent like Ami.

She's not spiritual like Rei.

She's not strong like Makoto.

She's not devoted like Minako.

She's not fierce like Haruka.

She's not elegant like Michiru.

She's not solemn like Setsuna.

She's not wise like Hotaru.

She doesn't know what exactly she's supposed to be.

Her powers don't come from her planet. They come from the Ginzuishou, a small lump of crystal that manages to shine brighter than the sun at the peak of its power.

Without the crystal, she is nothing. She has no true power to rely on like the others. And, more often than not, they end up saving her because of it. They save her just in time for her to finish off whatever enemy needs destroyed at the moment, and that's all she's really good for.

Without her teammates, she's sure that she would have been dead long ago. Probably on that very first night in Naru's mother's jewelry store, if Tuxedo Kamen hadn't shown up. And if not then, well, it certainly wouldn't have taken too long for the Dark Kingdom to polish her off, never mind the countless other enemies she faced over the years.

Every time things looked hopeless, every time her own power wasn't enough to save the world, she knew that she could rely on the powers of her friends and comrades. Every time they were taken away from her, she knew somehow that they would all meet again and be happy.

And every time she saw them again after those long absences, she thanked her lucky stars that she had found them once more, because without her teammates, she is nothing.


	10. Water 51

Sorry that this is insanely off-course! I know how late it is, but with school kicking up with a vengeance I don't have the time to write like I do in the summer. So unfortunately, from now on updates will be kind of sporadic. But I am absolutely determined to finish this with all 100, so don't worry. :)

I happen to really like this one. I hope you like it enough to review! :)

* * *

Water: 51

"I'll have a big glass of ice water, please," Usagi said to Motoki, plopping down on the nearest counter stool. She allowed her school bag to drop to the floor and her head to drop onto the counter, protected only by the cushion of her forearms.

"Sure, Usagi, one chocolate milkshake, coming right up—wait what?" asked Motoki, disbelief sketched on his face. "You…don't want a chocolate milkshake?"

"Nope, just water please," replied Usagi, her words somewhat muffled by her arms.

"Are you feeling ok?" asked Motoki in a concerned tone, walking closer.

Usagi blearily lifted up her head, revealing dark circles under her eyes. "I'm fine, just tired. And thirsty," she answered. Her head then returned to its original position, and soon faint snores were heard coming from the blonde.

The tinkling of the bell over the arcade door didn't even rouse Usagi from her afternoon nap, nor did the footsteps of Mamoru as he crossed to the counter and sat beside her.

"Here's your water, Usagi," Motoki said softly, not wanting to disturb her slumber. "Hey, Mamoru."

"Hey," replied the black-haired man, "what's wrong with her?"

Motoki began to collect some empty glasses as he parried back, "No idea. She's out like a light though. For once, let the girl sleep in peace," he finished, taking the glasses back into the kitchen and leaving the counter empty.

"Odango Atama?" Mamoru whispered into Usagi's ear. When she didn't stir, he continued. "You're…kinda cute when you sleep. Hope you're having good dreams, ones with a prince or whatever you dream about. But don't think this means I'll go easy on you tomorrow." He winked, then grabbed his school bag and quietly exited the arcade.

Usagi then stirred, a little whimper of lost sleep escaping her. As she yawned and stretched out her arms, Motoki walked back through the kitchen doors.

"Oh no, he didn't wake you up, did he?" groaned Motoki. "I swear, that guy—"

"What guy?" queried Usagi innocently, rolling her aching neck in circles.

"Mamoru was here," he grumbled in return. "And I told him not to disturb you, but…" he trailed off, shaking his head.

Usagi pulled the water towards her, beginning to take slow sips. "He didn't wake me, Motoki. I had a great dream and I woke up at the end."

"What was it?" asked Motoki, putting his elbows on the counter and leaning in. "I won't tell."

"Well…" Usagi replied slowly, taking another sip of water. She then crinkled her nose. "I _might_ tell you if you get me a chocolate milkshake. This stuff has no taste," she stated, sticking her tongue out.

"Deal," Motoki laughed, heading off to get her usual order.

Usagi _would_ tell him about how, in her dream, she was a princess in a beautiful garden with a handsome prince, whose face she couldn't quite make out. But she _wouldn't_ tell him that the handsome prince in this particular dream had spoken with Mamoru's voice….


End file.
